During an interview published in 2007, Hugh Grant revealed that he regretted his refusal to play the lead role in the series “Doctor Who”.
If he repeats to anyone who will listen that he did not enjoy the filming of his new film Wonka, Hugh Grant is also an actor who has some regrets. The former king of romantic comedies, specialist in dry and cynical humor so popular with the English, could have seen his career take a new turn in the early 2000s.
At this time, while his career was still suffering the consequences of his media setbacks, the latter was offered the main role in the series Doctor Who. Convinced that this revival (the program had not been broadcast since 1989) would be a flop, Hugh Grant refused the role which was finally entrusted to Christopher Eccleston.
During an interview given in 2007 to our colleagues from Digital Spy, the British actor however confided his regrets in view of the success encountered by the series. He also said he was open to the idea of one day appearing for an episode in the role of a villain, roles “always more fun” to his eyes :
I was offered the role of the Doctor a few years ago and I was very flattered. The danger with this kind of thing is that it’s only once you see the result on the screen that you say to yourself: ‘Damn that’s really good, why did I say no?’. But hey, knowing me I probably would have ruined everything.
Only the most die-hard fans know this, but it’s not entirely accurate to say that Hugh Grant never played the role of the Doctor. The latter actually appeared in a parody episode broadcast in 1999 by the BBC, a hilarious sketch in which Rowan Atkinson, Richard E. Grant, Jim Broadbent and the absolutely fabulous Joanna Lumley played the role of the Time Lord.
It was by seeing this unofficial episode that screenwriter Russell T. Davies decided to offer the role to Hugh Grant for the revival of the series in 2005. Another notable fact: this episode entitled Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death is written by Steven Moffat, the future showrunner for seasons 5 to 10 of the new series.
The parody episode Doctor Who: The Curse of Fatal Death:
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